I Work at a Public Library by Gina Sheridan

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Humor, nonfiction

Medium: Paperback

Synopsis: In the time spent working at a public library, Sheridan compiled the funniest, best, and most relatable quotes from her patrons. When you’re a librarian, you get to see the world as it truly is–you hear all the strange questions, see all the strange websites on public computers, and feel all the stickiness that somehow made it onto a children’s book. On the bright side, you’re never bored.

Review: Oh…my god. This book had me laughing out loud on the train on multiple occasions. This collection of quotes was honestly so harrowing and hilarious that it felt like I was back at my old job as a Reference Desk Assistant. I wasn’t a librarian back then, but I did work closely enough with them and the patrons to understand why libraries are a necessary and entertaining place. In fact, they were the ones that inspired me to study Library Science next year at Simmons–and this book made me remember all the good times I had in the library and the good times that are to come.

This collection is divided into different topics such as computers (what I mostly helped patrons with), to reference work (which I helped patrons with when there wasn’t a librarian readily available), and communication (which was the basis of quite a few problems). All of the topics are divided by the Dewey Decimal System, which gives this book a nice touch of authenticity.

Overall, this book is a very quick read, which makes it perfect for a train ride, or when you’re stuck somewhere with no internet access. From a librarian’s (or, assistant’s) perspective, all of this is #confirmed–we overhear things like those mentioned in the book all the time. And, if you’re a patron–you’ll probably get a kick out of this too, and take care to remember it as a bit of a cautionary tale!